The bus and motor coach industries plan to send at least 400 buses through the streets of D.C. on Wednesday to protest that the sector has been overlooked in the recently enacted coronavirus relief packages.
“The people feel so overlooked,” said a spokesperson for the protest. “Most of these are small businesses, family-owned businesses, and they’re saying, ‘Wait a second. We didn’t get zilch, and we transport almost as many people as the airlines every year.’”
The motor coach industry moves 600 million passengers per year, while the airlines transport 700 million, according to the spokesperson.
The protest, organized by the American Bus Association and the United Motorcoach Association, will call for $15 billion in federal relief as more than 90% of its workforce has either been laid off or furloughed because of the economic shutdown.
Buses will be coming from all 50 states to participate in the “rolling rally” that will caravan around the National Mall and the Capitol.
Lawmakers such as Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, and Rep. Richard Neal, a Democrat from Massachusetts, have called attention to the matter, but it has yet to equate to relief being provided to these industries.
Charter bus companies typically make 60% of their annual revenues from March to June. Since the economy is shut down, 36,000 motor coaches are idle during what is the busiest season for the industry.
